Improvement in padlocks



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

E. M. MIX AND J. E. MIX, OF WESIFIELD, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PADLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 58,278, dated September 25, 18665 antedatcd September 15, 1866.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Beitknownthatwe, E. M. MIXand J. E. MIX, of Westfield, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, (formerly of Ithaca, N. Y.,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Padlocks; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front view, with the drop or escutcheon removed. Fig. 2 is an internal View, the front plate being removed. Fig. 3 is an edge view ofthe lock, with the escutcheon raised at right angles thereto. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the escutcheon as closed.

Like letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in all the figures.

Our invention relates to the class known as seal-locks; and it consists in the pivoting and arrangement of the seal-plate or cover so as to swing or slide on a plane with the. face of the lock 5 in fastening the same, bymeans of a pin on one of the tumblers. so that it cannot be released without moving the tumbler by al key or other instrument, thereby injuring the seal 5 also in the construction and arrangement of the hinge of the escutcheon and the spring by which it is kept closed 5 and, further, in the combinationand arrangement of the sliding seal-plate with the hinged escutcheon for coverin g and protecting the former.

As represented in the drawings, A, Fig. l, is the front plate of the padlock; B, the shackle; C, one of a series of tumblers; and D, the dog, which engages with the notch a of the shackle (when inserted, it being self-locking 5) I) is the guide-post for the key, and e is the key-hole, and f a recess surrounding it, to receive the seal.

G isthe seal-plate, provided with a key-hole, correspondin g with e, which is hung 011 the pivot 72, so as to be swung aside to enable the seal to be placed in the recess f, when it is replaced.

When the shackle is unlocked the plate G is free to swing on its pivot, but having been locked, and the seal inserted, and the plate is returned to its proper position, it strikes the pin 'L' on the tumbler C, and moves the same untilit falls into the notch j of the plate, and is there held, so that the seal cannot be uncovered unless the tumbler is moved by the turning of the key to unlock the lock, or the insertion of some other instrument through the keyhole, which cannot be done without breaking the seal.

The key-hole and seal-plate are covered by the drop or escntcheon K, which is hinged to the lock in a manner that keeps it closed when not forcibly raised. This is eifected by means of a bow-shaped spring, Z, which lies recessed on the under side of the escutcheon, to which it is attached at its center, the two ends being provided with holes, through which the hingepin m passes, making the spring form a part of the hinge itself.

The side or ear pieces o o of the plate N, to which the drop K is attached, are beveled t0- ward each other, their faces forming a continuation of the diverging ends of the spring. The'effect of these beveled ears is to compress the two ends of the spring closer together .when the escutcheon is raised at right angles,

so that the force ot' thc spring is exerted to return it and hold it down to the face of the lock.

The spring is concealed within the escutchcon, and the latter may be made, if desired, of sufficient size to conceal the seal-plate G, so that its presence would not be suspected by persons unacquainted with the construction.

`The arrangement of the key-plate, moving ou a plane with the face of the lock, and the escutcheon hinged to disclose the key-hole only by being raised, has many advantages. The escutcheon may be made strong enough to protect the seal-plate from injury by receiving a blow or falling on a hard substance, while it can be made with a joint sufficiently tight to exclude water and dirt from entering the key-hole or destroying the seal.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,l is= 1. Securing the seal-plate Gin position over the sealrecess by means of the pin ii on the tumbler C, so that when locked it cannot be released without moving the tumbler, substan tially as set forth.

2. In combination with the hinged escutchcon K, the spring l, pin m, and beveled earf, and swinging senlplate G, whereby the pieces o 0, whereby the spring is made to oonformer is made to eoneeal and protect the latstitute a self-closing hin ge for the esenteheon, ter, substantially as shown. arranged and operating substantially as shown In witness whereof we have hereunto signed and. described. our names in the presence of two subscribing 1 3. The arrangement of the seal-plate G, in l witnesses. relation to the face A ofthe look, and the es- F M MIX euteheon K, whereby the plate moves on a E 'MIX' plane between the two, in the manner and for the purposes set forth. Vitnesses:

4. The combination and arrangement of the R. EMERSON,

vertically-rising eseuteheon K,with the recess H. SHAW. 

